Antenatal Classes in wicklow

macker77

hey everyone,
i was just looking for abit of advice,im 27 weeks pregnant and will be starting antenatal classes soon. I am attending the Coombe Hospital but am relying on my husband taking time off work to bring me in as have alot of appointments as need physio etc due to bad back which happened before pregnancy and antenatal classes happen on a completely different day so it would be difficult for me to get in!
i was hoping to maybe do them nearer home,i live in greystones co wicklow,i know if you attend holles street,you can attend greystones clinic or loughlinstown but is there any facilty for attending the coombe,any information would be great appreciated,
thank you
macker77

January

I think the Coombe would only do it in their own catchment area which seems to be Tallaght/Clondalkin/Ballyfermot...

You could look into booking a private midwife to come to your home and give you a one day class... I think some people here have done this...

How Strange

The coombe hold classes on a Saturday but they're popular so book in advance. I'd highly recommend it; we did ours yesterday. It's free and you're talking to midwives from the hospital so you find out what their policies are etc.

Mrs Fox

How Strange wrote: »

The coombe hold classes on a Saturday but they're popular so book in advance. I'd highly recommend it; we did ours yesterday. It's free and you're talking to midwives from the hospital so you find out what their policies are etc.

I am doing mine in late Feb at the Coombe -- I was afraid I had left the booking too late. I'll be around 34 weeks pregnant then, but the midwife said it was fine. Let's just pray I don't go into early labour! Can you give us an idea of what goes on in these classes, How Strange?

JonnyM

the seafield hotel in gorey do ante natal classes but you have to pay for these and are done on just one day. Prices i think are about €140

How Strange

Mrs Fox the courses are run by midwives so they go through everything from the start of labour to delivery to packing your hospital bag to post partum care. We did a private one as well and have to say the coombe one was every bit as good and was free.

She explained the hospitals policies on active labour management (24 hrs), episiotomies (they don't do them) to pain relief and birth plans.

It's good for mums because the midwives are speaking specifically about your hospitals policies sonyou can educate yourself and set your expectations of labour/delivery based on them.

It's good for dads too because they know what to expect once labour begins. It normalises the whole thing for dad which IMO is good if they are first timers and a bit nervous.

I'd definitely recommend doing it. Ours was cancelled from early dec to early jan so I was 36 wks and I found that good as I was starting to get very nervous and emotional about labour/delivery. It def reassured me and in some ways made me excited to
be meeting my baby soon.

Mrs Fox

Thanks How Strange. It's great to have some sort of an idea of what to expect.